New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-02-08
UUEPE TIE STRIKES HUR7 MOST


The best friends Of the workingmcn deprc-
cate and regret such movements as the recent
strikes for the reason that they weaken or
gained labor, prejudice it in the public mind,
and inHict upon il material losses recovery from
which must 10 slow and painful. The cause
lcssness of most of these strikes is so obvious
az to preclude sympathy for those who precp-
ita'ed them, while tho inconvenience and in
jury caused by them to tho general public as
well as to trade and commerce give them rather
the appearance of war upon the community than
of an ordinary and legitimate attempt to secure
better terms from employers Nothing could
have been worse calculated TO produce the Ell
feet sought. for example. than those efforts 10
bring about coal famine in Newly York, which
merely resulted in forcing the poorest people
TO pay double the usual rates for their fuel
and incidentally caused the discharge Of hun
dlcds Of factory hands because machinery could
not be kept going in mills and shops. The
leaders who advised this proceeding were clear
ly incompetent 10 manage the business placed
in their hands and they have brought the men
who trusted item into serious difficulties.
But though these strikes have caused heavy
loss and trouble TO numbers Of people in no way
by this time that the principal sufferers are the
strikers themselves. In the majority Of in
stances they have not only lost all they would
have earned had they kept at work, but they
have sacrificed the employment which they
abandoned 70 necdicSsly. The employers show
htlc disposition TO take back the striking hands
New men have already been taken on in most
cases and they viii not, if capable, bc displaced
in favor Of those who showed so utter a dis
regard for the interests Of their employers. The
general result is that inc-tcnths OF the strikers
are out of work with hltlc prospect Of recover
ing their positions. and the only effect Of the
various extensions OF the strike has been to
quicken its collapse by increasing the number
OF idle hands TO he supported out Of limited
and not easily renewable fund. Most OF the
men thus thrown out Of work have no savings
to fall back upon. Even when work is plenty
they can only Just make both ends meet and
now they have wasted several weeks in a strug
gle which everybody CHE perceived 10 H. hope
less from the beginning. All this il dIscour-
aging, because unless the organization OF
lalor preserves it from Just snch mistakes its
utility is liable 10 lie called in question.
That organization contains the possibilities,
Of whatever progress the working classes are
capable Of /; that is TO say practically unlimited
possibilities. But before these can he realized
there must lie intelligent control Of the move
mcnt. and policy must be adopted which will
sparc and reserve the energies and the saving
Of labor instead Of squandcring them in iIl-con-
sidcrcd strikes. orkingmcn will further
have TO realize that tho disturbance inflicted
upon all kinds Of business by the rccklcssncss
out" by walking delegates" and by the ar
bir;ry way in which strikes are made. cannot
bc tolerated rs permanent arrangement. M
man in business will or can consent TO have his
work suddenly stopped because the hands en-
poycd by some other man have a grievance
against their employer. Such Interruptions in
validate contracts, paralyzc commerce and pro-
duction. cause wanton destruction of capital. !
and waste the earnings Of labor TO 10 possible !
profit The worlds work cannot lie carried on |
in any such spasmodic and irresponsible man. !
ncr and the men who have lattcr!y allowed
themselves to be taken from their employIncnts
must realize. what everybody clso has long |
seen, that they arc being played with for tho |
benefit of those managers and manIpulators who |
spend their tine in fomcnting strikes as the
easiest method Of procuring the contributions
on which they faten. No true interest of labor
has been served by these strikes. which. in fact |
have injured the cause. Public sympathy il the
breath Of life 10 the movement, and to nossce.
it hcnccforth 4 far more reasonable tcmpcrotc
and practical course VIII be needed The Whole
affair has been a great mistake. and the heat
thing the strikers can do now is to 90 10 vo,i,
wherever practicable, and resolve TO rcpudiatc
the dlctation Of selfish and dcmagogic leaders